If any person would come after me, let her deny herself, take up her cross, and follow me.
When I hear Jesus’ call to discipleship in Mark’s gospel my immediate-gut reaction is that I’m never going to measure up. I just can’t do it, I don’t have what it takes. Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem and a Roman Cross, tells would-be followers that in order to be his disciples we must do something really hard. Deny. Take up a cross. And keep following him.
Carrie Newcomer is a Quaker singer/songwriter, and many of her songs have lyrics with which I easily identify. One of those songs is called You Can Do this Hard Thing. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that there have been some days, some mornings, that I have listened to her recording of the song as a little reassurance in the face of what I would be called to do that day. You can do this hard thing. On the way to a hospital. Or the funeral home. Or a tense meeting. Or to our sanctuary for another funeral. You can do this hard thing. On the way to a college apartment where one of our girls will live for that year. To my father-in-law’s funeral. Or to my mom’s hospice room. You can do this hard thing.
If you haven’t been called to “do this hard thing” recently, you are in the minority. Many (most?) in our church family have repeatedly done hard things over the last years. For many, “loss” has been the word that best describes life since the beginning of COVID it seems.
But Carrie Newcomer is right. You can do this hard thing.
When Jesus offers this call to true discipleship, it is not an invitation to a flippant or cheap discipleship. It is hard. Living a life that looks like Jesus’ life is not easy. But Jesus wouldn’t have called us to something that we cannot do. We can do this hard thing.
Don’t sell yourself short.
You can forgive that person.
You can let go of that grudge or resentment.
You can experience joy after great loss.
You can be merciful.
You can turn the other cheek.
You can be a peacemaker.
You can let go of independence and move where there is more care available.
You can survive that cancer treatment. You can do it.
You can spend longer beside that hospital bed than you think.
You can turn your worry over to God. You can do it.
You can…deny yourself, and take up your cross daily, and keep following Jesus. Even in a culture that has created a false christ who does not demand self-denial, or a cross. You can do it.
Don’t sell yourself short.
I feel a little like the old SNL character Stuart Smalley admitting this, but often I need the daily reminder that I can do this hard thing. And maybe you do too. But you can, you can do it. You can do hard things. Carrie Newcomer knows you can, and so does Jesus.
Click here to hear You Can Do this Hard Thing.